Sarah Jane And Mrs Wormwood
by KrazyKimmy
Summary: When Mrs Wormwood saves Sarah Jane's life, and becomes unconscious in doing so, how will Sarah Jane adapt to having dying Bane in her attic? And more importantly, how will the rest of the group react to Sarah Jane's reactions? Finally Finished!
1. An Unexpected Arrival

Sarah Jane Smith gently lowered the unconscious woman onto the sofa. Mr Smith was whirring away behind her but she wasn't paying any attention to that. Only the woman, the dear, dear woman.

"You'd better not die on me, Mrs Wormwood." That was all Sarah Jane managed before she broke down in tears.

She lay her head on the edge of the sofa and cried freely. Hardly anything made her cry nowadays. But, what this woman had done for her, what she had been through...

"Mum! Muuum!" Luke called from downstairs.

Sarah Jane may as well have been unconscious herself for the attention she was paying to her surroundings.

"Sarah Jane," Mr Smith pressed, "Luke is calling you, Sarah Jane."

She wept, silently now, for she didn't want Luke to know.

A hand reached out and touched her shoulder, "Mum, what's wrong?" Luke asked, concerned. He knew Sarah Jane wasn't one for crying. He went on sit on the sofa, but noticed Mrs Wormwood in the way. He looked from her, to Sarah Jane, to Mrs Wormwood again. "What's she done to you? What is it, mum?" He took her hand, "We can make it better. I promise!"

Sarah Jane looked at him, his concerned face, his sincere face, and she shook her head. "You... you don't, don't understand!" She blubbered, still crying. "Not you, you won't hurt you! I won't let you!" She crouched back over the unconscious Mrs W. and left Luke, very much confused.

"Mr Smith? What's going on?" He asked.

"From what I understand Luke, Mrs Wormwood and Kaagh survived the portal to Horath, and Kaagh betrayed Mrs Wormwood by telling Horath he was free to destroy the Earth. Mrs Wormwood, because of you, was not happy with that idea, but Horath wanted to destroy the Earth anyway. Somehow the Bane woman beat Horath here, and tried to warn Sarah Jane, however because of Mrs Wormwoods previous problems with picking the right side to defend, we did not believe her. Consequently she felt the need the protect us, or rather, protect us to protect you. When Horath arrived on our doorstep, Mrs Wormwood used her Sonic Disrupter to stop the teleportation process and destroy Horath. Kaagh had already teleported, and, from what I understand, used his new found weapons of mind control, curtsey of Horath, to torture Mrs Wormwood into unconsciousness. Not before she had shot him with her Sonic Disrupter though."

Luke was silent for a minute or two, processing the information. "So... why is mum crying?" He finally asked.

"Insufficient data." Mr Smith replied.


	2. Fear Grows In Silence

Two hours had passed since Luke had returned from school, yet Sarah Jane was still in the attic. No longer crying, her tears had long since run dry. Rani had come to see him, and they were both in the kitchen, wondering about Sarah Jane.

"I'm sure Luke, come dinner time it will be OK. She's probably just feeling guilty because if she had believed Mrs Wormwood then maybe there wouldn't be a dying alien on her sofa."

"WOWA! Did I miss something?" Clyde stuck his head round the doorway, "Dying alien? Where?"

Rani rolled her eyes, "Nice of you to knock, Clyde!"

Luke got up and pulled Clyde to the table, "Not so loud! It's mum, she's been in the attic all day. Mrs Wormwood is unconscious upstairs, something to do with Horath and Kaagh."

Clyde sat down, "Ooh, is she actually dying?"

Rani looked at Clyde, mouth slightly agape. "You have the subtlety of a dead fish, you know that?"

Clyde grinned.

Luke just looked worried.

"Hey," Clyde said, pulling Luke into a one sided hug, "Can't be that bad can it? After all, this is Sarah Jane we're talking about, she's strong. She'll make it."

"...Or not."

Luke had brought Rani and Clyde upstairs, quietly so as not to disturb Sarah Jane, but it looked as though they needn't have worried about the noise. Sarah Jane was slumped against the sofa, asleep, her hand in Mrs Wormwood's, a lone tear streaking down her pained face. Mrs Wormwood was completely expressionless, undistinguishable from the dead, apart from the occasional rising and sinking of her chest.

Rani went up to Sarah Jane and knelt in front of her, "Sarah Jane? Sarah Jane can you hear me?" She shook her shoulder a bit.

Sarah Jane screwed up her eyes and opened them a bit. She saw Luke, Clyde and Rani grinning at her, nervously. She was about to grin back then she remembered. She spun round to see the Bane woman still out cold, and realised in her own head there was an extremely painful thumping. She rested her head on the sofa edge, and closed her eyes.

Rani looked up at Luke, who bit his lip.

"Well, I'd better be going actually," Clyde said, nearly at the attic door already. He waved, just as Rani came up to join him.

"Yeah, me too. See ya Luke," She smiled. Good Luck, she mouthed.

Luke nodded, then turned back to the depressed woman whom he had come to think of as stronger than steel.


	3. Trust Gita

"I'm just so worried, Rani. I mean what can I do? She hasn't been eating, drinking, and she ignores me, and Mr Smith. What can we do?" Luke pleaded.

It had been a week, Sarah Jane was practically living at the end of the sofa. Mrs Wormwood still hadn't awoken, and so was completely oblivious that the woman at her side, hadn't left once.

"I don't know Luke, what can we do? We don't know how to get the Doctor, and we can't really involve anyone else because they'll want to know how Mrs W. became unconscious, and why she isn't in a hospital." Even Rani, calm, contented Rani had become ruffled by the events at 13 Bannerman Road.

"Why who isn't in a hospital?" Gita walked in the room, holding a cup of tea and a slice of cake. She sat down next to Luke. "Well, spill the beans. I love a bit of gossip."

"Muum!" Rani whined, "We were talking."

"I know." Mrs Chandra giggled. "Now I am too. So..."

Luke looked to Rani, who shrugged.

"Come on, I haven't got all day." Gita encouraged them.

Luke sighed. "Its my mum, Sarah Jane, she's... Well... We've got a guest staying at ours, and, she travelled a long way to get here. She fell asleep about a week ago, and Sarah Jane has become really depressed." Luke put his head in his hands. "She hasn't spoken to me since, nor to anyone. She never leaves Mrs Wormwoods side." Luke stood up, "I'm worried. Mum's never done anything like this before." Luke frowned, he was always frowning now. "Bye Rani. Bye Gita."

"Well." Said Gita, giggling slightly.

Rani looked horrified, "Mum, its not funny, its serious!" She stormed outside, to watch Luke cross the street and see if she could apologise for Gita's behaviour. To her surprise, he was right outside her door.

"Oh, Luke! I'm sorry.. I" She started.

"No, no its OK. I... It was good, telling someone." He nodded. "I think."

They both looked up at the house.

"See ya, Rani." Luke sounded sorry to be going.

Rani reached out for Luke, "Buu-"

Luke turned round, and half smiled, though his eyes weren't into it. "She scares me like this."

He frowned, and looked at the floor as if regretting saying that, and crossed the road, and disappeared from sight.

"Ooh. Scandal!" Gita said, from behind the open door, her eyes sparkling.

Rani glared.

"I was only joking." Mrs Chandra said, defensively.

"Well, its not funny, mum. I'm scared too." Rani admitted.

Gita handed Rani her tea, and walked to the pavement. "Allow me." And with that she started walking towards number 13.


	4. What Did I Tell You?

"Hello? Sarah Jane?" Gita called out. This place really was big, she thought. I can see why Rani likes it here.

"Mrs Chandra?" Luke appeared at the top of the stairs. "What are you doing here? Did I leave something?" He asked, while he gracefully, but quickly, made his way down the flight of steps.

"Oh, no. No, nothing like that." Gita waved the thought aside. "I was thinking, I would come see how Susie Jane was. You know, cheer her up a bit."

Luke bit his lip. "That's very nice, Mrs Chandra, but..."

"Gita, call me Gita dear. And I'm sure Sarah won't mind."

Half an hour later Gita came out of 13 Bannerman Road, angry and yet, slightly depressed.

"Well?" Rani asked, afraid of the answer.

"Completely ignored me!" She said, throwing her hands in the air. "Completely. I may as well not have been there! Where's your father?" She demanded, storming past. "He will here about this, ooh, yes he will..."

Luke wasn't the only one worried about his mother that night.


	5. Doctor, Doctor!

Sarah Jane had butterfly's doing back-flips in her stomach. Her eyes were black pits, overfilling with worry and grief.

"Mum." Luke pressed for the hundredth time today. "Please mum."

Sarah Jane sighed, oblivious to anyone but Mrs Wormwood. Sarah grabbed Mrs W's hand and squeezed it. "Please wake up." She pleaded in a small voice.

Luke looked delighted. It was the first form of communication he'd heard from Sarah Jane in days. "Mum? Mum! You're..."

Luke was cut off from what he was saying by a TARDIS appearing right in front of him.

He raised an eyebrow as an attractive young twenty something clambered out, smoke trailing behind her.

"Doctor?" He asked.

He heard a laugh from behind, and saw a rather raggedy man step out. He was wearing a suit with a bow-tie, noticeably younger looking, and had hair that was ever so slightly one fire.

"Hello Lukey Boy! Where's your mum then?" He asked, rather condescendingly.

"Oh, Doctor! Your hair!" The redhead pointed out.

He quickly brushed off the flames. "Look at this Luke, STILL NOT GINGER!"

The woman in the miniskirt laughed. "Doctor..." She sighed.

"So," The Doctor asked, looking round, "Where is your mother?"

"If you haven't squashed her," Luke pointed to behind the TARDIS, which conveniently faded away, leaving only the sound of the engines to ever prove it was there.

Sarah Jane was crying again, silently this time. She was sitting on the floor, head on the sofa, holding Mrs Wormwood's hand.

"Ooh no." The Doctor looked terrible. Suddenly, all the youth was gone from his face, wrinkles appeared in his forehead, and he looked truly troubled.

He sat in front of her, legs crossed. "Sarah?" He asked.

No response. She continued to cry, tears flowing down her face.

He caught one, and forced her to look at him.

Sarah looked, but didn't see.

"What happened?" Asked the Doctor and Amy at the same time, the Doctor urgently, Amy caringly.

As Luke explained, Rani and Clyde came in the attic.

"Things are looking up around here, ay?" Clyde said, eyeing up Amy.

Rani punched him. "Hi, I'm Rani and this is Clyde, you are?" She asked.

"Oow, don't you remember me?" The Doctor asked, getting up. "I'm the Doctor, new face, same old Doctor!"

Rani smiled, "Hi. I see you changed clothes too."

The Doctor shook his head, smiling. Amy wandered over and introduced herself too, while the Doctor went back to Sarah Jane.

"My Sarah Jane... What has the world done to you?" He asked, quietly to himself.

Nobody but the Doctor noticed but she looked up, with fear in her eyes.

"Doctor?" It was barely more than a whisper, but he heard it.

He smiled, that smile only a TimeLord has.

"Sarah Jane Smith."

She hugged him, properly hugged him. She held him fierce, scared someone might take him away, and he hugged her back too, glad for his sake, and Luke's that she was back.

"Look!" Clyde practically yelled.

Sarah Jane stood up, with some help from the Doctor, and smiled at them.

"She's alive!" Clyde joked.

"Mum!"

"Luke!" Sarah Jane went to walk over to Luke, who was rushing towards her from the other end of the attic, but she barely made a step. She faltered, and had it not been for the Doctor, would have fallen.


	6. Dizzing Love

"Doctor?" She asked, voice faltering. She looked up into his eyes, and saw concern. That wasn't good.

The Doctor had Sarah Jane in his arms. God, he thought, the woman weighs next to nothing. "Sarah? What happened?"

"I... I don't know. I just, well, my knees..." Her voice broke. Shame and fear burnt her face.

Luke was standing next to the Doctor, and was scrutinising Sarah's face. "Its because you wouldn't eat." He decided.

The Doctor turned to Luke. "What?" He asked, carefully putting Sarah on her feet, and wrapped his arms around her waist to catch her again if she feel.

"Mum hasn't come out the attic, nor has she spoken to anyone. Its like we didn't exist. She wouldn't eat, nor drink." Luke stepped forward and stroked Sarah Jane's face, "We were worried about you."

The Doctor gasped, and bit his lip, "Luke, you said she was up here for a week?" He confirmed.

"Yeah..."

Amy gasped too, "A week. Without eating or drinking. Doctor... How?"

Sarah leaned on the Doctor, and closed her eyes, "How what?" She murmured.

"How did you stay alive?" The Doctor replied.


	7. A Grand Exit

"I believe I may be able to answer that." Mr Smith said, monotone.

The Doctor and Amy turned to the supercomputer.

"What's that?" Asked Amy.

"Its a supercomputer. Sarah Jane built it. Now shh!" The Doctor replied, "Yes, Mr Smith?"

"The Bane have the ability of self preservation whilst their body's are repairing. Perhaps as Sarah Jane has been so close to Mrs Wormwood whilst she was in this state, the nutritional substances was spread between them both. Enough to keep the vital functions going, but, as we have seen, not enough for activity." Mr Smith suggested.

Luke thought about this for a second. "Its plausible," He nodded.

The Doctor looked at Sarah Jane, who's head rested on his shoulder. He wiggled it and Sarah immediately stood straight, fear making her pupils dilate. She looked around the attic, and once realising there was no danger, sighed and once more allowed her body to slump against the Doctors.

"Psst. Earth to Sarah Jane." The Doctor stage-whispered.

"Hmm..." She replied.

"You hungry?" He whispered.

"Yeah, kinda." She whispered back. "Psst. Why are we whispering?"

"I dunno," He replied. The Doctor gave Sarah Jane a mischievous grin before picking her up, and carrying her downstairs, much against her protests.


	8. Where Have The Kids Gone?

Sarah Jane bit into a biscuit with vengeance. The Doctor refused to allow her back upstairs before she had finished her tea and plate of digestives, and she still wasn't strong enough to walk. Food was low in her house, as Luke had no idea about shopping.

"So Sarah, can I call you Sarah?" Amy started, before realising everyone but the Doctor called her Sarah Jane.

Sarah covered her mouth with her hand, "Sarah Jane," She mumbled through a mouthful of biscuit.

"Oh, right, sorry. So Sarah Jane. Why is this 'Wormwood' person so important that you skipped meals?" Amy asked, curious.

Sarah Jane stopped midway into biting into her last biscuit. She put it back onto the plate, and pulled her legs onto the sofa. Sarah grabbed the TV remote, and started fiddling with the buttons. "Well," She started.

"Its because she's the one who created me." Luke interjected.

Amy frowned, "Created?"

"I'm not human, I'm ..." Luke tried to explain.

"My son nonetheless." Sarah Jane told him. She looked to Amy, "Mrs Wormwood tried to destroy Earth more than once, so when she came here saying Horath wanted to destroy the world, and can I help her stop him, naturally I thought she was lying." Sarah Jane swallowed, all her confidence used up. "If I had believed her," Her lower lip trembled, "If I had only believed her," She put her head in her hands, unable to continue.

Amy came over from her armchair and put her hands on Sarah Jane's shoulder, "I'm sorry, I … I didn't know, I..."

"Hello?" The Doctor came downstairs. He poked his head round the corner. "Where have the kids gone?" He asked Amy.

Rani, Clyde and Luke all waved at him from by the window.

"Oh." He blushed.

"Doctor..." Amy whined. She stood up, "I didn't mean to make her cry, I just... I was only curious and..."

The Doctor waved her off, and sat down to Sarah Jane. He pulled her into a hug so she was leaning on him, feet on the settee. "What we going to do with you, ay?" He asked, smiling sadly. "What are we going to do with you?"


	9. That Just Takes The Biscuit!

Rani stood up, "I should be getting back..." She whispered.

The Doctor and Sarah Jane were asleep on the sofa, hugging each other, and Amy was singing softly to herself.

Clyde stood up too, "Yeaaaah" He said, stretching.

Rani walked over to the door, and took Sarah Jane's last biscuit.

Clyde shook his head, "Subtle. Real subtle."

Luke shooed them both out, "See you tomorrow."

The Doctor woke up to the sound of Randy Newman's 'I will go sailing no more'.

"Clearly I, will go sailing, no mooorrreeee..."

He chuckled.

"Oh, Doctor!" Amy fell off the chair arm, which just made the Doctor laugh even more.

"Huuhhh?" Sarah Jane murmured.

"Now look what you did, Doctor!" Amy said, dusting off her jeans.

"Me?" Said the Doctor between chuckles, "You're the one singing and falling off chairs!"

Sarah Jane yawned.

"How you feelin'?" Asked Amy.

Sarah Jane blinked her eyes, and furrowed her eyebrows. "Huh?"

Amy rolled her eyes. "You haven't eaten or drunk in a week, you nearly fainted earlier, and you've been asleep for uh... let see... five hours."

The Doctor sat up, causing Sarah Jane to nearly collapse into the space beside him. "Five hours? No way!"

Sarah Jane swatted the Doctor on the head, "Don't do that again!" She ordered.

Amy smiled, then took Sarah's empty plate and mug into the kitchen.

"Did ya see that?" Sarah asked, still bleary eyed.

"What?" Asked the Doctor, moving to sit opposite her.

"All the biscuits are gone. And I drank all the tea." Sarah smiled, swinging her legs off the seat.

The Doctor grinned, "OK, you win."

As the Doctor carried her up the stairs he commented, "I swear you didn't eat that last biscuit."

Sarah Jane silently agreed, and thanked the stars for her young friends.

In the attic, apart from Mr Smith whose fans were running, creating the impression he was humming, everything was quiet.

"Hello Sarah Jane, Doctor." He greeted. "There has been no change in Mrs Wormwood's condition."

The Doctor noticed Sarah's eyes glistening slightly.

"She'll wake up." He told her.

Sarah nodded. Then shook her head, "When?"


	10. BlueBerry's 'N' Breakfast

The Doctor stayed with Sarah Jane throughout the night, whilst Amy slept in the guest room. Come morning the Doctor had disappeared, Luke found him trying to work the un-plugged-in kettle.

"Here." Luke offered, "Allow me."

Whilst Luke made breakfast for four, the Doctor pondered on something that had been nagging in the back of his mind. "How come you didn't phone?"

"Huh?" Asked Luke, looking over his shoulder whilst spreading butter on toast.

"You didn't contact me. Why not?"

Luke brought a plate piled high with toast and set it between them, "We didn't know how. Short of creating a national crisis, we didn't know how." He explained.

"Couldn't you just phone?" The Doctor mumbled through buttered toast, wondering where the custard was.

"You have a phone?" Said Luke, unconvinced.

"Yeah! Keeping up with the times, that's me! It's a Blueberry 'n' all!"

"You mean Blackberry." Luke corrected, reaching for seconds.

"Naah, Blueberry. Its the better version... The... newer one."

Luke tilted his head. "How new?"

The Doctor smiled as he raided Sarah Jane's cupboards, "Uh, bluuh," He wondered. Um... maybe... 2013... 2014... or..." He glanced over at Luke. Wow that boy took after his mother, the Doctor couldn't withstand her glare either. "2016."

Much to his surprise, Luke laughed. It was an odd sound, decidedly feminine. Luke wasn't even moving his lips. "How..." The Doctor started, then realised.

"Amelia! Come," He beckoned, "Eat, laugh. No wait, you're doing that already!"

The laughing stopped, and for the second time in two days someone slapped his head.

"Hey!"


	11. IUNLFO

After three or four days, in which Sarah Jane had got her appetite and ability to walk back, the inevitable happened. What Luke had been dreading, but also looking forward too.

Mrs Wormwood woke up.

When she did, Sarah Jane was downstairs, watching TV whilst leaning her head on the Doctor's shoulder. She still wasn't that well, she could only walk short distances, and need someone to help her upstairs. She found herself falling asleep at least three times a day.

They were watching the news, and Luke was complaining that a UFO wasn't really a UFO, once they had found it, it was identified, and when it landed, it was no longer flying. So, according to Luke, "they should really be called IUNLFO, Identified Unidentified No Longer Flying Objects. Don't you think, Doctor?"

The Doctor nodded, rather unsure of what he was nodding to.

Luke looked to Sarah Jane.

"Mum?"

She was sitting bolt upright, and there was just something not quite right about her eyes...

"Mum?" Luke was curious, something was off, not quite right, what was it...?

The Doctor looked over to her, wondering what had captivated Luke's attention.

"Sarah?"

She looked over to him, keeping her body upright and her head straight, then cocked her head to the side, and smiled the most eerie smile in the history of eerie.

The Doctor's eyes widened. "What the..."

Sarah Jane's eyes were a strange, alien, cloudy blue.

Mrs Wormwood sat upright in the attic, and opened her eyes. They were a warm, albeit scared, brown.


	12. Sarah Jane: The Bane

The Doctor ran upstairs, with Luke hot on his feet. There they found Mrs Wormwood sitting up, staring at Mr Smith who was greeting her back into the Land of the Consciousness.

"Mrs Wormwood?" Luke asked.

The Bane's forehead creased and she shook her head and smiled. "No," she said, as though the question was a silly one. "Why am I up here, and where's..." She pointed at the sofa she was sitting on, and then realised what she was wearing. A purple gown with a hood. A sonic disrupter ring. She pulled down a strand of hair from her bun. It was light auburn.

In the body of Mrs Wormwood, Sarah Jane smith widened her eyes, "Oh my," and fainted.

Downstairs, the Doctor heard the unmistakeable sound of Sarah's voice screaming, it seems the Bane woman had figured out the change too.

After propping up the Sarah Jane in Mrs W. against the sofa, the Doctor asked Mr Smith what was going on.

"A lot is happening around this world at this very minute. What would you like me to concentrate on?" He replied.

The Doctor's shoulders sagged. He sighed, then drew himself up to his full height, "This attic. Why have Sarah and Mrs Wormwood swapped consciousness's?"

"I was not aware that they had." Mr Smith droned.

The Attic door opened and Amy and Sarah Jane's body came through.

Sarah Jane pointed at Mrs Wormwood's body, "How am I there, but here as well?" Came the Bane's voice.

"We don't know yet, and Mr Smith doesn't seem to know either." Luke told her.

Sarah Jane's body nearly gave up again, and so Mrs Wormwood reached for the nearest chair and sat down. She beckoned to Luke, "Come here, archetype."

Luke took a step back, "My name's Luke."

An unnaturally shrill laugh emitted from Sarah Jane's body.

"Of course, Luke. But won't you come here?"

Luke looked at the Doctor, who was busying himself with a notepad and pen, to Amy, who was trying to wake up the Sarah Jane stuck in the Bane woman's body.

He took a few steps forward, and Mrs Wormwood/Sarah Jane took his hands. "My Luke. This world has made you so dim. But you were right about one thing, Horath was not to be trusted!" She nodded, as if convincing herself of something. "Horath would have done terrible things, my boy. And you knew that, didn't you?" Mrs Wormwood's voice was probing Luke, trying to find out how he knew what he did. She looked into his eyes, into his soul, waiting for an answer.

Luke made an effort not to look at Sarah Jane's eyes, The blue was rather unnerving.

Well, a lot unnerving.


	13. Gaze Into My Eyes

"Ah hah!" Amy called, looking over her shoulder at the Doctor. "She's awake!"

"Good good!" The Doctor replied, walking over from scanning Mr Smith with his Sonic Screwdriver.

Sarah Jane put a perfectly manicured hand to her head, then stopped and looked at her nails. Long, and purple.

Her shoulders sagged. She raised an eyebrow and looked up at the Doctor.

"How do you feel?" He asked.

"Confused, you?"

"Ditto." And he went back to the supercomputer.

Across the Attic, Mrs Wormwood picked out Sarah's voice with Sarah's rather attentive ears.

"Sarah Jane?" The Bane asked.

Sarah stood up, and for the first time in weeks, smiled, and let all fear, and anxiety fade from her face. A smile of true happiness.

"Mrs Wormwood," Sarah said her name in a sigh, pleased to see she was up again.

Amy looked over at the Doctor, wondering why they weren't concerned about the body/mind swap.

He pointed to his eyes, and then the two women who were embracing each other.

Amy nodded in realisation.

They were only looking in each others eyes.

* * *

After the hugs and the "I was so scared about you"'s and the "How I've missed you"'s and what not, the two women realised something, mainly after Mrs Wormwood started cursing about the state of Sarah Jane's body.

"Whoops," Mrs Wormwood muttered, as the body she was residing in nearly gave out again, "Darn humans, so dependant on sugar."

Sarah Jane scratched her head, or rather Mrs Wormwood's head. "Why are you in my body again?"

"Um..." Mrs W. leaned on the brick column in the middle of the room. "Luke, you're a clever boy, you answer this one."

Luke turned around, and pointed to the Doctor. "His fault."

Both women stared at the Doctor, and him at them. "Hmm, me?" He smiled, confused.

Luke continued, "Mrs Wormwood was transferring enough nutritional substances to keep them going, but when the Doctor arrived, because he's newly regenerated, he still was giving off the regeneration radiation. This got caught up in the swapping of substances between you, and as neither race, Bane nor Human can fully regenerate, then you did the next best thing." He motioned to both women, "Inhabited a new body." He nodded once, "I think..." He furrowed his eyebrows and pondered for a second. "Yes, yeah. That's it. Right Doctor?"

The Doctor turned around, on the last page of his notebook, scribbling circles and dots furiously. "Whatever you say, Luke, whatever you say..."


	14. Let's Swap Places For A Day

Italics = mind of character

Normal = body of character

* * *

After some hullabaloo on the stairs, mainly to do with Sarah Jane's body's condition, all five made it into the kitchen, and sat down.

_Sarah Jane_ pulled down Mrs Wormwood's hood, and fluffed out her hair, "It hurts," She explained to _the Bane_ who was raising an eyebrow to her.

At least twenty five hair pins were on the table by the time _Sarah_ was finished. All of which _Mrs Wormwood_ put into Sarah Jane's hair. "I prefer this style," _the Bane_ commented.

"So," the Doctor said, putting his clasped hands onto the table.

_Sarah Jane_ chewed a nail nervously.

"Don't do that!" _Mrs Wormw_ood exclaimed, slapping _Sarah_ slightly. "You'll ruin the varnish, not to mention my nails!"

"Sorry." _Sarah_ mumbled.

Luke giggled. All he could see was Sarah Jane slapping a brown eyed Mrs Wormwood.

The Doctor looked amused too.

"What?" The two body snatchers asked at the same time, in the same tone.

That was too much for Luke, he started laughing, which set off the Doctor.

* * *

An annoyed Sarah Jane stormed out the room, only returning when she heard Mrs Wormwood's plea for help, which set the two boys off again.

* * *

"Imbeciles." _Mrs Wormwood_ muttered, being helped along the corridor by _Sarah Jane_.

They sat down in the living room, and listened to the Doctor and Luke chortling away.

_Mrs Wormwood_ was resting her head on the back of the sofa, breathing heavily.

"What's wrong?" Asked_ Sarah Jane_.

_Mrs Wormwood_ raised her head. "How old are you?" She asked, with no shame at all.

_Sarah Jane_ took a large intake of breath and turned away, "None of your business, thank you very much!"

_The Bane _stretched out one of Sarah Jane's slightly lined hands, "I'm guessing, 50, maybe 60 years old?"

_Sarah Jane_ turned to_ Mrs Wormwood_, and gave her a piercing stare.

'Wow I can look intimidating,' thought _Mrs Wormwood_.

"I'm 62, if you must know." _Sarah_ answered, in a rather haughty voice.

_Mrs Wormwood_ nodded, and put her head back on the sofa. "Humans live for so little." She commented lightly.

"What?" _Sarah Jane_ spun around, with an expression on her face that was entirely alien to Mrs Wormwood.

"What what?" Asked _Mrs W._, confused.

"What do you mean 'Humans live for so little'?"

_Mrs Wormwood _sat up, crossed her legs, or rather, crossed Sarah Jane's, and thought for a moment. "A human, like you," She gestured, "will only live for what, 90, 100 years? Bane, however, we manage a good 1000 turns of our sun. And that's not including the fact that our days and seasons are longer, our gravity is more, and all that"

_Sarah Jane_ looked worried, "What's this got to do with now?" She asked, timidly.

"Simple. You're nearing the end of your cycle round Earth."

_Sarah_ stared at a spot on the sofa.

"Oh stop it, won't you?" She felt a hand on her shoulder, "Self pity isn't a good look for me."

_Sarah Jane_ looked at the strange blue eyes that were inhabiting her body, and laughed. How peculiar to hear such a cold phrase coming from her body.

_Mrs Wormwood_ smiled. She didn't know why, but making the human happy made her happy, too.


	15. Royal Purple

The Doctor had been gone for a week, and strange things were happening in the house of 13 Bannerman Road.

Some days the two women would be in their own body's, other days each other's.

When Luke called the Doctor he said it was nothing to worry about, just the regeneration energy slipping away and causing a little havoc on the way. But boy, did it cause trouble. Gita was insistent to see Sarah Jane, and completely freaked about her eyes, then the next day, when she brought Haresh over, they were their normal, warm, loving brown.

"Well, I guess its just one of those days." Sarah Jane said to Luke, clapping him on the shoulder, as they waved goodbye to a screaming Gita and confused Haresh.

"Is she gone yet?" A rather scared Mrs Wormwood asked.

Sarah Jane smiled. Ever since Gita came round on a body/mind swap day and saw Sarah Jane's body with blue eyes, and stood there in Mrs Wormwood's face screaming, Mrs Wormwood hadn't been to keen on Gita.

Both Luke and Sarah Jane found it rather amusing.

"Yes, she's gone." Luke replied.

Mrs Wormwood stepped out from behind the living room door frame.

Only then did Sarah Jane notice how tattered Mrs Wormwood's purple robe was.

"Follow me, you look in need of a wardrobe re-vamp." Sarah Jane motioned to Mrs Wormwood for her to follow.

* * *

Sarah Jane had quite a big wardrobe, all things considered. All arranged neatly by colour, then clothing type.

Mrs Wormwood went straight to the purple.

"What is it with you and that colour?" Sarah asked, smiling slightly with her hands on her hips.

Mrs Wormwood picked out a flowing purple skirt, and held it against her in the mirror.

"It shows my status." She replied, whilst searching through the purple for a shirt.

Sarah Jane sat on the bed and waited for more.

Mrs Wormwood turned and look at her, then sighed and sat next to her.

"Right, in your world you have royalty, and parliament right?"

Sarah Jane nodded, not wanting to disturb her.

"Well, we have a similar sort of thing. The Bane Mother, and Father. They are, like noble ancestors of all Bane. They were one of the few first created. And through careful care, have stayed with us. They are millennia old. We are all their children, if not directly, hence we call them Mother and Father. I, I am one of the few who are directly related to them. I was one of the eggs they laid when they were young. They then incubated me to start their project of invading Earth."

Sarah Jane opened her mouth to ask a question but Mrs Wormwood hushed her with a wave of her hand.

"How long it took was not a problem, many Bane think the Mother and Father are immortal. Also many of the Bane who are less directly related to Mother and Father tend to be dimmer."

Mrs Wormwood stood up, "Purple is the colour of those who are important. Only Gold is above. Gold is for the Mother and Father only though. Like crowns for royalty."

Sarah Jane delved deep into her wardrobe and pulled out a golden silk shirt, "Many young children play wearing crowns, besides, like royalty, surely the next of kin becomes the Mother?"

"Buu- I cannot!" Mrs Wormwood protested.

Sarah Jane handed her the shirt, and left her to change.


	16. Beauty Not Beast

Mrs Wormwood came down the stairs, cheeked flushed pink from wearing a colour most defiantly not hers. She looked positively radiant in a flowing purple skirt and a flared sleeve golden shirt.

"There. Isn't that better?" Sarah Jane asked, arms crossed, leaning on the door frame.

Mrs Wormwood blushed and turned her head away.

Sarah Jane laughed, a sound that captivated Mrs Wormwood's heart.

The Bane turned around, fiddling with a strand of her hair. She had taken it out of it's usual bun when she was changing.

Sarah Jane was smiling at her. Truly smiling, one you couldn't help return.

"Come here. I'll sort it out." She offered, walking into the living room.

Sarah Jane sat on the sofa, and motioned for Mrs Wormwood to sit on the floor.

As Sarah Jane sorted out the knots in Mrs Wormwood's hair, Mrs Wormwood found herself becoming more and more unwound, more and more relaxed. A completely new feeling for a Bane.

"Muuum?" Luke's voice drifted throughout the house.

Sarah Jane sighed.

"Sarah Jaaaaane!" Rani's voice joined in the search for the missing reporter.

Sarah put her hands over Mrs Wormwood's ears.

"Down here!" She hollered, trying to reach the youngsters who had wandered into the attic.

Mrs Wormwood leaned her head back, and raised both eyebrows.

Sarah Jane removed her hands.

"Ouch." The alien remarked.

Sarah Jane smiled, raised her shoulders, and nodded.

"Hello...? Oh, found them!" Rani announced up to Luke as she peered around the door.

The thundering of feet could be heard on the staircase.

"Oh wow." Rani and Luke exclaimed together as they took in Mrs Wormwood's new look.

Mrs W. stood up and went to sit down next to Sarah Jane, but Rani came up to her and held onto her shoulder, stopping her.

"Turn around for a sec," She asked.

Mrs Wormwood complied.

"Wow, Sarah Jane, did you do this?" Rani wondered aloud.

"Mm hmm," Sarah Jane agreed.

Rani gawked. "You have to do that to my hair for the Prom!" She begged.

Sarah Jane laughed, "Oh Rani," She waved a hand at her, but agreed to do so all the same.

Mrs Wormwood held a hand to her hair, self consciously.

"There's a mirror down the hall," Luke informed her.

Mrs Wormwood gasped when she saw the transformation. Combined with the jewellery she'd been made to put on, and Sarah Jane's magic with her hair, she looked like a whole new person.

Her hair had been combed straight, and half was pulled back into a ponytail, the rest was down. A pink pearl necklace and earrings brought out the glow in her cheeks, and the clothing, well. Mrs Wormwood was hypnotised. That just wasn't her looking back in the mirror.

She saw Sarah Jane coming up behind her, and before the other woman had a chance to react, hugged her tightly.

"Thank you!" Mrs Wormwood whispered.


	17. I Found An Alien, Well, Another Alien

Two weeks had passed since Mrs Wormwood had woken up. For Luke, days were starting to blur together.

Sarah Jane and Mrs Wormwood were practically inseparable, yet, no one knew why. Not even Sarah Jane and Mrs Wormwood!

"Mr Smith, do a scan for alien activity in the area please," Mrs Wormwood asked.

Sarah Jane had asked Mr Smith to give Mrs Wormwood the same level of clearance as Luke, Rani and Clyde. Which was quite high, and seriously peeved off Luke, Rani and Clyde.

"Scanning." Mr Smith informed her. "Alien activity found. Investigating."

Strange symbols appeared on screen. Some where her natural Bane language, others Mrs Wormwood didn't have a clue about.

"Sarah Jane," Mrs Wormwood called, still staring at the screen. "Sarah Jane, I think you should see this!"

Sarah Jane ran up the stairs. Mrs Wormwood never usually seemed worried.

"Wha-," Sarah Jane panted, bent double, leaning on her knees. She wasn't as young as she liked to appear. "What is it?" She asked, straightening up.

Then she noticed.

Swirls and symbols covered Mr Smith's monitor, from all languages. There was human letters, Bane script, Gallifrain swirls and branches of shapes even Sarah Jane didn't understand.

"Mr Smith? What is this?" She asked.

"Stargazer666's plea for help. It crashed at 02:00 this morning near Osterly Park." Mr Smith informed them.

* * *

Sarah Jane and Mrs Wormwood took the Ford Figaro to Osterly Park, Luke and the others were at school still.

In the centre of the grounds, a large, grey object stood. About as high as a lamppost, and just as thin, but with no bulb or anything similar.

Both women were captivated.

Mrs Wormwood was the first to touch it. When she did, a pink energy shield appeared, and covered considerably more space then appeared to human eye.

"Wow." Sarah muttered.

The energy shield showed a large, disc shape object. It looked like it took up most of Osterly Park.

"Well," Mrs Wormwood said, "At least we know they have room at accommodate us!"

She smiled back at Sarah Jane as she walked through a door that had just materialised.

"Um..." Sarah Jane rushed after her into the spacecraft. She didn't know why, but it scared her slightly.


	18. Veil Of Death

"Come on, slowcoach!" Mrs Wormwood called back to the ageing woman.

Suddenly the sound of Mrs Wormwood's running feet hitting the ground stopped.

Sarah Jane also stopped running, peering around the corner looking for the alien that she thought had captured Mrs Wormwood. The corridor was empty, and well lit. There was no sign of Mrs Wormwood.

Sarah Jane crept down the corridor.

There were two doors. Which one?

Sarah Jane opted to look in the right first.

"Raah!" Mrs Wormwood jumped out from behind the left door.

Sarah Jane nearly had a heart attack.

"Don't EVER do that... again!" Sarah Jane told her, trying to get her heartbeat back under control.

Mrs Wormwood giggled, much to Sarah Jane's dismay. Mrs Wormwood still had a long way to go to be taken for a human successfully.

"Right. Now we're back together," Mrs Wormwood clapped her hands once, "Shall we try to find the Earth Intruder?"

Sarah Jane raised an eyebrow, but said nothing. Mrs Wormwood obviously felt at home here, but thinking of Earth as her home? How darling!

"You're staring..." Mrs Wormwood commented.

"I'm sorry..." Said Sarah Jane, not looking away or even sounding remotely sorry.

"Come on then!" Mrs Wormwood started a brisk walk along the corridor.

Sarah Jane started walking the other way, "Wrong way!" She called back.

"I knew that!"

Mrs W. was soon at Sarah's side again, looking rather.. wait. Nooo, was that embarrassment? Sarah's heart melted completely.

* * *

The creature turned out to be a Veil, who had lost his way in the Galaxy, and once pointed in the right direction to the shadow proclamation, via Mr. Smith, was on his way.

Leaving Sarah Jane extremely worried.

"Honestly, you're such a worry-wart! We told him where to go, didn't we?"

Sarah nodded.

"Then, what's to worry about? He's gone! Not here any more! He can't hurt us if he's not here, can he?"

Mrs Wormwood did have a point there.

Sarah Jane nodded, "But on the way back I want to fill you in on a certain Veil named Androvax."

Mrs Wormwood was also on the edge that night, and awoke at the slightest noise. Which turned out just to be the washing machine stopping it's cycle, the neighbours cat, Mr. Smith tucking himself away for the night, Luke's computer turning off...

By the morning both Sarah Jane and Mrs Wormwood were tired from lack of sleep, and rather grouchy. So grouchy, in fact, that Mrs Wormwood slammed the door on Capitan Tybo when he rather civilly rang the bell.

Sarah poked her head out of the kitchen, eating a piece of toast. She raised an eyebrow in silent question.

"Some Judoon guy." Mrs Wormwood answered.

Sarah Jane dropped her piece of toast.

Mrs Wormwood stopped dead halfway up the stairs.

Both women rushed to the door, and opened it, just as Captain Tybo fired his gun to rid of the lock.

* * *

Sarah Jane gasped, and Mrs Wormwood's eyes filled with tears.


	19. Raxacoricofallapatorious

Sarah Jane feel backwards, into Mrs Wormwood's arms. Her eyes had rolled back into her head, and her breathing was laboured.

The Judoon just stood there, waiting in the doorway.

"YOU MONSTER!" Mrs Wormwood yelled at him, not caring of the consequences, only her dear Sarah Jane.

"Mrs Wormwood?" Luke asked, coming down the stairs.

"Help me get her into the attic, Luke." Mrs Wormwood said, desperately wanting to help Sarah Jane before it was too late.

Luke carried Sarah upstairs, and with tears streaming down her face, Mrs Wormwood attempted to follow.

"No. You come with me." The Judoon said, no emotion in his voice, with a hand on Mrs Wormwood's arm.

Mrs Wormwood shrugged off his hand, and looked him in the eye. "Not till I know that Sarah's OK. You better not have killed her, but if you have, Mother help me, I'll get you so bad..."

The Judoon crossed its arms and went to wait by the door.

Mrs Wormwood rushed upstairs just in time to hear Mr. Smith say, "Situation Critical."

She went over to Sarah Jane, who was currently on the sofa, bleeding heavily.

"The shot did not reach her heart, but has badly damaged her lungs and ribs. There is also the possibility of her spine being damaged if the bullet remains inside her."

Luke looked up at Mrs Wormwood, eyebrows creased in worry. "We need to get her to the hospital."

"What about the Rhino downstairs?"

Luke squeezed his mothers hand, and only got a very feeble reply. "She'll die otherwise."

Mrs Wormwood already had a phone in hand, "What's the number?"

* * *

Mrs Wormwood and Luke had agreed that Luke should stay with Sarah Jane, and Mrs Wormwood should keep the Judoon officer in the back yard, out of the way of the ambulance crew.

When Luke and Sarah Jane had been rushed away in the ambulance, the neighbours had had their questions answered by Mrs W., 'She was shot.', 'No, not by me!', 'I think it was a robber, she tried to stop someone coming in anyhow.', 'No, I don't know who it was.'... Mrs Wormwood tried to interrogate to Judoon.

And failed, spectacularly.

"So why on Earth did you shoot my Sarah Jane?"

"She is not yours. Is her own. You should be dead."

"Well, obviously I'm not. I could get the Shadow Proclamation on you, you know..." She threatened.

"I'm here for them. You evaded their assassination attempts. I will take you there now." He grabbed her arm, and disappeared.

Before you could say 'Raxacoricofallapatorius', she had gone. There was nothing she could do, just go along with it. Mr Smith was currently trying to contact the Doctor to alert him as to Sarah Jane's condition, and K-9 was boosting Mr Smith's signal.

No one was any the wiser that Mrs Wormwood has just been whisked off to a group of powerful aliens who wanted to kill her, and even if they were, what could they do about it?


	20. Don't Stand On Ceremony

In the hospital, Sarah Jane had just come out of surgery.

She woke up, rather groggily, and saw a young boy crying by her bed. She reached out and ruffled his hair.

Luke looked up at his mum, and saw her, still looking rather out of it, but he put that down to the anaesthetic still being in effect.

"Hi, darling." Sarah said, her voice rather hoarse.

He smiled sadly at her, not having the heart to tell her.

"Aahhh... Miss Smith, you're awake." A young, twenty something Doctor walked in, carrying a clipboard, with a pencil behind his ear.

Sarah smiled at him, not sure how to answer.

"Now, as you're probably aware, you've just come out of surgery. Your ribs should be fine in a couple of months, and your lungs, as long as you rest, will be fine as well."

There was something that the doctor wasn't telling her, Sarah Jane knew that much.

"But..." She asked.

The doctor looked unsure how to say it.

Luke took her hand and squeezed it, "You'll be fine, mum." He said, smiling that sad smile.

"You suffered a very serious blow. And, well, the surgeons weren't expecting the bullet to be the type it was... You're spinal cord was damaged during surgery. You, er... You're..." The doctor sighed, uncomfortable.

"There's a likelihood you could be paralysed from the waist down." Luke told her.

Sarah Jane turned as pale as the bedsheets.

* * *

Sarah was dismissed from the hospital a few days later. She was still very weak, and got out of breath very quickly. An ambulance brought them home again, as they couldn't very well catch a bus with Sarah Jane in a wheelchair.

As the ambulance crew wheeled Sarah Jane down the ramp, Gita, Haresh and Rani crossed the road to see what was happening.

Rani stopped dead in the middle of the road, one hand over her mouth.

"Oh My God! Sarah Jane!" She exclaimed.

Sarah smiled sheepishly. "Hi Rani." She waved.

Haresh gave Rani a push, making her walk over to the pavement, "Now you can have a nervous breakdown. Just because an ambulance is here, doesn't mean you have to use it!"

Rani turned pink, and walked over to Sarah Jane. She shook her head in disbelief, "Sarah Jane... What happened?"

Gita nodded, she was always up for gossip.

"Um... not sure. Something went wrong in surgery. And, well, it meant that I now will be spending the rest of my life in a chair." Sarah said, sounding very business like, slapping the arm rests as if she was about to get up.

Haresh put a hand on Sarah's shoulder, "If you need any help or anything, we're always here for you."

Sarah Jane nodded appreciatively, and Haresh put an arm around Gita's waist, leading her home before the royal inquisition started.

"Rani, don't stay too long!" Gita called. So unfair, Rani gets to stay longer than her, Gita thought as she had one last look at the headstrong woman in the wheelchair.


	21. Comfier Than The Sofa

Inside 13 Bannerman Road, Sarah Jane had tired herself out moving from her chair to the settee. As she slumped on the sofa, she wondered about something that had been niggling in the back of her mind for the past few days.

"Luke," She practically whispered, "Where's- Where's Mrs Wormwood?"

Luke looked over at Clyde, who shrugged.

"I'll go see if she's in the attic."

Rani came and sat down next to Sarah Jane, and put her arm around the elder woman's shoulder. "You know Sarah Jane, you and Mrs Wormwood have a real special bond. You always seem to be able to tell what the other is thinking. Call me silly, but sometimes, when you both were in the attic, running through ideas about aliens, I'd be jealous at the way you'd finish each other's sentences."

Sarah Jane turned her head, and smiled wearily at the teenager. "It's strange, but there's something about that woman..."

Rani quickly became alarmed as Sarah Jane's breathing became less frequent, and she started to drop off to sleep on her shoulder.

Luke chose that moment to come into the room, with Sarah Jane snoozing on Rani's shoulder, with Rani's head turned towards her.

"It's not what it looks like, honest!" She tried to protest.

"Uh-huh! Suuuureeeee it isn't..." Clyde said, as he snapped a picture on his phone.

"She's gone. Isn't she?" Rani asked quietly, not wanting to disturb Sarah Jane.

Luke nodded silently.

"Mr Smith and K-9 are trying to find the Doctor. They should be here-" Clyde started.

"Right about now!" A goofy looking guy with trouser braces, bow tie, and a fez walked into the living room.

He smiled, the red rose in a garden of white lilies. "I'm missing something aren't I?"

* * *

Once more Sarah Jane found herself being carried upstairs. By the Doctor nonetheless.

She frowned, gazing up at the man in the red fez, wondering what he was doing here, and generally what he was doing.

"Hello Sarah Jane." He said gently, as if she might break at any second.

"Hello Doctor." She whispered.

"Why can I never see you when you're healthy? And why am I always carrying you upstairs?" He asked, stopping just outside the attic entrance.

Sarah Jane smiled, and leaned back into the Doctors arms. He was a lot comfier than his previous incarnations. And the sofa come to that.

The doctor chuckled, obviously Sarah Jane had forgot he was a touch-telepath.

* * *

Sarah Jane lay on the couch, oblivious to the action going on around her. Mr Smith and K-9 were trying (and failing) to trace Mrs Wormwood, not yet having found the residual energy from the teleportation in the back garden, and Luke, Clyde, Rani, Doctor, Alan and Maria were talking via web-cam about Sarah Jane's current situation.

"Well what you going to do? Somehow I can't see Sarah Jane wheeling herself down the corridor away from Slitheen." Alan joked.

Maria giggled, but there was nothing from this side of the Atlantic.

"Come on!" She urged, "Maybe, maybe you could do all the investigating, and she could, you know, just watch from the attic."

Clyde half heartedly smiled, "We talking about the same person here Maria? Can you imagine Sarah Jane standing back and watching anything?"

Maria smiled, finding hard to imagine that.

"Aren't there any aliens out there with healing powers?" Alan asked.

Maria slapped her dead, "Powers?"

Luke thought for a minute, searching through his brain for any info on alien 'powers'. "None that we've encountered."

Alan looked crestfallen.

'Poor guy', thought the Doctor. 'He obviously has feelings for Sarah Jane. But then why'd he move to America?'

The Doctor looked over at Sarah Jane, her head was on the arm of the couch, and she was ever so slightly snoring. Oh would he tease her when she woke up!

But he couldn't help but be reminded of the alien that had lay in the same position on that sofa but half a month ago. The one whose side Sarah Jane hadn't left. The Doctor sighed. The one whose disappeared.


	22. Dear God I Lost Her

Sarah Jane was lying on the sofa. Bored out of her mind. And incredibly annoyed.

Why did she HAVE to be paralysed? How was she supposed to run away from the aliens they fought? She couldn't very well wheel herself away down the corridors and alleys, now could she? She'd be the laughing stock of the galaxy if she did.

But she couldn't let the children walk into danger by themselves either.

She hoisted herself up, so she was sitting against the arm of the chair, and slapped a little beat onto her thighs, just in case feeling came back to her.

Nothing.

Sarah Jane sighed heavily, just as K-9 came into the attic, with a tray of biscuits and tea on his back.

He stopped by the edge of the sofa, "Mistress. I must advise against your leaning off the arm of the chair like that. There is a possibility you could fall off, and I do not have sufficient form to lift you onto the chair."

Sarah Jane sat back up. She had been leaning over the edge of sofa, her head practically touching the floor. It was a very strange sensation; feeling all the blood rushing to your head.

"Oh, tea! Thank you K-9." She took her mug and a few biscuits. Digestives. Her favourites!

"Good dog, K-9."

"Affirmative mistress!"

The Doctor watched this exchange from the doorway, a sad smile on his face. He knew Sarah Jane would soon be demanding to go and save the world again soon. She wasn't a sit at home mum.

After Sarah finished her little snack, the Doctor came out from the doorway, just as K-9 went downstairs.

"Hey." He said.

Sarah Jane smiled, and pulled her legs up and closer to her. It was like having numb legs and feet, just before pins and needles set in.

Whilst she pondered this, the Doctor sat down on the sofa. "You look bored."

Sarah Jane laughed, "Bored has nothing to do with it... Though..."

She frowned, wondering how to ask her next question.

The Doctor might not have been a sensitive, but he could tell what was coming next.

He laid an hand on Sarah Jane's arm, which was wrapped around her leg, and looked down at a stain on the sofa.

"Is...?"

Had the Doctor looked up, he would of seen a face that would have broke his heart. Sarah Jane's face was a picture of love, betrayal, confusion and worry.

The Doctor swallowed, "Mrs Wormwood. Um... well, she was dealing with the Judoon whilst we got you to hospital. And... Uh, when, when you got brought back here. She, uh... She was gone. I didn't even see her this time."

Sarah Jane tore her eyes away from the Doctor. She was gone... Her Wormwood was gone, actually physically gone! But... Surely she would have left a message, not just abandon her like that! No. There must be something! Mrs Wormwood wouldn't just leave her!

Or would she... Sarah's eyes tore around the room, looking for an explanation, almost hoping that the woman was just joking, and was about to jump out at her from behind the boxes, or back of the sofa, or somewhere.

Her mind was in turmoil. She couldn't have just left. But she did. But she can't of...

The Doctor looked up, to see Sarah Jane, one eyebrow arched, concern in her eyes, and a quivering bottom lip.

"Oh come here." The Doctor said, moving off the settee to go and hug Sarah Jane. Once more, as he carefully pulled her off the sofa, and held her there in his lap, he couldn't help but be reminded of how she was not so long ago.

"If there is a God..." He muttered.


	23. CradleSnitching the Odd 900 Years

Inside the headquarters of the shadow proclamation, Mrs Wormwood lay, in a cold, dark cell. With her mind having been probed earlier, the entire court saw her relationship with the human woman. Now, stuck in her bane form, Mrs Wormwood could do naught but dream of the times she and her Sarah had spent together.

* * *

At home, Luke and the Doctor weren't really doing any better. K-9 had just detected the atron energy, and Sarah Jane was going out of her mind with worry for her "dear, dear Mrs Wormwood."

The Doctor was attempting to make tea, when it occurred to him that noone here thought it was odd that Sarah Jane and Mrs Wormwood were so close.

So, as subtly as he could, he decided to bring the subject up.

After wheeling Sarah Jane into the kitchen, and giggling slightly at the thought of the huge hill down the road and how Sarah was going to manage, he brought the tea and fish-fingers over. Sarah Jane didn't have any custard.

"So, uh..." He started, aware that Sarah was watching him with hardly concealed amusement, "What's the uh, the deal with you and her?"

The Doctor mentally applauded himself, whilst Sarah Jane nearly choked on a bit of fish batter.

"'Scuse me?"

The Doctor raised an eyebrow, "You and Mrs Wormwood. Last I heard, she was trying to destroy the world via Horath."

Sarah Jane sipped at her tea, planning her answer.

In the doorway, Clyde held out an arm, stopping Luke going into the kitchen. He wanted to hear it too.

Sarah Jane set down her cup, and wrung her hands. Then clasped them. Then rung them again. Needless to say, she was a tad nervous.

Inhaling deeply, Sarah decided to jump in the deep end and be over with it.

"Well. The thing is," She unclasped her hands. "The thing is... that," She clasped them and shoved them under the table. Stupid hands, they were distracting her on purpose. "The thing is, she turned up here, and said. Said that Horath was coming and would I help her. I thought," Sarah Jane grimaced and buried her head in her hands, "I thought it was a trick, a dirty trick so that she could get Luke."

The Doctor looked over to where the boys were unashamedly eavesdropping.

"And, and then when he came, and she, she zapped him," Sarah Jane bit her lip to stop herself from crying. "And then Kaagh, he hurt her."

The Doctor came around to Sarah Jane and spun her towards him, her eyes were watery, but they still carried some unknown secret. He tried to pull her into a hug, but Sarah wheeled herself backwards.

She winced, her hand was in bandage, "But, you don't. Don't understand, if I'd have just trusted her, just enough to let her in, or leant her a hand with Kaagh, then, then maybe. maybe..." A violent shiver worked it's way through Sarah's body, and the Doctor understood. Or understood enough at least.

He waved a hand at the boy's, who conveniently disappeared over to Rani's.

'You're making a habit of this old man.' The Doctor thought. 'Honestly, you're hugging a woman who is at least 900 years younger than you.'

He sat back on his feet, and bit his lips together. For the first time in centuries, he didn't have a brilliant plan to save the day.


	24. My Sarah Jane

The cell was cold, and the stone told tales of screaming, agonizing death. Mrs Wormwood hoped that wasn't her fate.

Footsteps echoed down the hall, picking up speed as they went. Mrs Wormwood was reminded of the alien Veil who had crashed, and how she had scared Sarah in his ship.

A hollow scream echoed down the hall, followed by the sound of a body slumping.

Then Silence.

Tears pricked in Mrs Wormwood's eye. Sarah Jane had fallen down, unconscious, not three days ago. Her fault. If only she'd registered the Judoon officer, if only she'd had the sense to open the door, to not let Sarah barge her out the way.

She should have stepped in front of the ray, should have saved her Sarah Jane.

...Her Sarah Jane... Mrs Wormwood lifted her head. That was new.

Her Sarah Jane? When had that happened?

Footsteps started down the corridor again. A switch flicked.

Her... Sarah Jane?

Mrs Wormwood stood up, cold and proud. She was Bane! She was the leader of the Bane entity by rights now the Mother had died. Lifting one of her tentacles, she examined it, as if there was some fungi on it disturbing her brain waves.

How silly, she had become attached to some human fool.

There was a rattling at the door. A key turning in a lock. The Judoon was there.

"Your trial." He said.

Mrs Wormwood stood; tall, mighty. "I'm ready."

Following the Bane down the hallway, Capitan Tybo allowed himself a smile. The best thing about Storm Cage's were the gases emitted into them. He had always thought so, and here was proof.

* * *

The Doctor sat on Sarah Jane's bed, she had just fallen asleep. Well, cried herself to sleep. He hated seeing her like this! He felt so... So helpless!

He stroked her hair, and Sarah smiled in her sleep.

"Doctor!" An urgent whisper came from the doorway.

Luke stood there, waving frantically.

"What?" He whispered back.

Luke just waved, "Come ooonnn!"

Rolling his eyes, the Doctor got up. He left Sarah sleeping, but not before wishing her sweet dreams and kissing her on the head.

* * *

Upstairs, in the attic, Mr Smith had, by some miracle, hacked into the Shadow Proclamation, and was streaming a live video of their headquarters.

"That's Mrs Wormwood." Clyde said from his position on the steps.

'We'll have to get those removed for Sarah's sake.' The Doctor thought.

"Doctor?" Clyde said, getting up.

"Mmmm?"

Clyde shook his head. "We know where she is, can we please go get her now...!"

* * *

"Meeting adjourned. Mrs Wormwood, you are free to go." The judge decided.

A sweet, yet slightly sinister graced the Bane's face. Twisting her ring, she turned back to the humanoid form where the smile stayed.

Pulling up her hood, she walked towards the exit, a steely determination in her eyes.


	25. She Failed The Test

This is it! The final chapter!

I will probably be doing a follow up chapter... So look out!

And Please vote on the Poll on my profile! Thanks!

xD

* * *

Sarah Jane had gradually come to terms with Mrs Wormwood's absence. The Doctor and the boy's had gone off to try and find her, but came back with sad faces and heavy hearts.

She hadn't asked, she'd rather have hope that Mrs Wormwood was out there living, rather than hear that she was shut away somewhere not.

A few months had passed, and Sarah Jane was almost healed.

As in, her hand was fine, and if it wasn't for the whole paralysed thing she would be walking, running, and generally running down corridors from Slitheen.

As it was, she was informing the Doctor, who had a seriously messed up time-line, whenever a hostile alien came to earth. Either that or inform the gang when they weren't in school.

* * *

It was the end of may, and Luke and his friends had just finished their last GCSE. As a surprise, Sarah Jane was meeting them at the school gates with presents for them all. Subscription to a weekly astronomy magazine that Luke had been after for ages, a new 50 piece drawing kit for Clyde, and a beautiful necklace for Rani.

Sarah was just glad she had made it up the hill. Fingers crossed Rani would hold onto the back of the wheelchair on the way back.

"Over here!" She called, waving an arm as a influx of teenagers made their way out of the school gates.

"Oh my god! Sarah Jane!" Rani yelled. rushing over.

"Hey, I thought the doctors told you not to over exert yourself?"

"Nice to see you too, Clyde." Sarah Jane said with a smile.

Clyde had become very protective over the past few months, but Sarah was happy for it. It was nice to know that if she fell asleep on the sofa, Clyde would soon be waking her up with dinner, or to tell her that it was in the microwave and that he and Luke were going over to Rani's.

"Hi mum." Luke said, walking over.

He still looked rather nervous, "Luke, honey. I'm sure you'll have done fine! After all, you were revising all last night."

Clyde laughed, "Sarah Jane! He had the exam finished in five minutes! The rest of us were all stuck on question one! Child-Genius!" He laughed as he ruffled Luke's hair.

Sarah smiled and turned around, catching up with Rani.

"How'd the exam go?" She asked, looking up to see a pained face.

"Uuuh... I'm just glad it's over. ... I did OK, though. Understood all the questions! He-he." The Asian girl said smiling, as she shook her head.

Sarah Jane nodded, retrieving the bag from the back of her chair.

She and Rani both stopped, waiting for the boys.

"Sorry Sarah Jane, just had to convince Einstein here that he IS a genius." Clyde replied to the unsaid question.

Sarah smiled, and held out a wrapped present to Luke, then when he took it gave the other two theirs. "It's for finally finishing your GCSE's. I don't mind when you open them."

The rest of the journey home was filled with spontaneous, "Thanks again, Sarah Jane." and "I just can't believe it... How much did it cost!"

* * *

When they finally got home (there was a lot of friendly arguments about who should push Sarah Jane) they found they were not the first to arrive.

A woman clad in all purple sat on the garden bench. Next to her lay a familiar Sontaren blaster, and a pile of ashes on the floor.

Sarah's eyes opened wide, as did her mouth.

When she regained the ability to move, a contented smile graced her face, and she rolled herself forwards.

Mrs Wormwood stood up, and held out the gun.

The smile quickly turned to a worried frown. "Mrs Wormwood?"

"Hello Sarah Jane Smith." Disgust and Hatred oozed from her words.

Luke stepped forward, and held onto the wheelchair, preventing Sarah Jane from moving.

Mrs Wormwood took two steps forwards, holding the gun right straight, unwavering.

"Mrs Wormwood..." Sarah's voice was now a whisper, a confused, disappointed whisper.

Mrs W. smirked, and fired.

* * *

Once more, at the hand of an alien gun, Sarah Jane slumped.

But this time, instead of rushing to her aid, Mrs Wormwood laughed, a high, cold sound; and left. But not before kissing her beloved archetype on the cheek.


	26. The Funeral

So this is one of the Follow-Ups, please tell me if you want any more.

And Please DON'T kill me, just because I killed HER!

* * *

The funeral was supposed to be a quiet family affair, however, Sarah Jane was well liked in her own private circles.

There was Rani and Clyde, and their parents. The Doctor, and his accomplices that had known Sarah Jane, (there was a bit of unlawful time travelling here), not to mention all the people from UNIT and Torchwood.

All in all, well over one hundred people stood by the grave.

Sarah Jane had never been very religious, and so Luke felt it fitting, for the graveside words to be said by those whom attended, rather than listen to a priest prattle on about how she would be spending time with God.

As Luke threw some dirt onto Sarah's mahogany coffin, he cried. His mum. His very own, darling mum. Was gone...

Rani and Clyde followed suit, and it seemed, that everyone whom had known Sarah Jane had loved her well. For every handful of dirt that went onto the Grave, was followed by a tear.

The Doctor had tried to go back in time, and change things, however Mrs Wormwood had by some strange means, time-locked the event. With a heavy heart, he threw in his dirt onto her coffin, and shed a tear.

He could have sworn his second heart stopped beating.

The Brigadier threw a handful dirt onto the grave, as well a rose onto her grave-marker, to which Harry Sullivan copied.

Long after everyone else had left to go the reception, The Doctor stayed, sitting against the, rather fitting, Angel grave-marker that told the world of Sarah Jane's death.

It was a mighty Angel, wings spread, and arms to the heavens.

It read, 'Sarah Jane Smith, 17 May 1951 - 25 September 2010. A caring and kind mother, Beloved Friend, and Guardian to all manner of life-forms. Our Sarah Jane will live in our hearts forever.'

The Doctor read this with the hint of a smile on his lips, "My Sarah Jane." He shook his head, tears running down his face as he looked more closely at the Angel.

Clyde, it seemed, was not just an artist on paper. The angel bore Sarah Jane's resemblance so well, that The Doctor half wondered if the weeping angels had got to her.

The Doctor eventually left, after a call from Luke asking him to come to the reception.

Night fell, and the stars shone brightly, almost as if they were shining their the tale of the Universe's loss.

Out of the dark, a shadow moved towards the open grave. A cloaked figure stopped just the edge, and whispered her words of sweet sorrow to the silent corpse.

* * *

Taking one last look at the stars, she fired, not caring of the consequences.

* * *

Much, much later that night, or early in the morning, however you want to view it, the Doctor returned.

A heart-warming, cold sight greeted him.

Gathering all his courage, and swearing to the statue of Sarah Jane that he would never tell what had happened, he began to fill in the Grave.

* * *

As the Doctor left, two Ghosts danced happily in the moonlight. One had brown hair, wore a waist jacket and knee high boots, the other had auburn hair, no hairpins, and a hooded purple robe.


	27. Too Much Cheese

Sorry for the wait, and sorry it's short! Please comment on it!

And I think I have an idea of what to do next... Maybe..

* * *

It was in the heat of mid-august when the trio dared enter the Graveyard together once more.

It was 7 'o' clock, however it was still light, and about as warm as mid-day.

It had been a quiet summer, with the occasional invade; Sontarens; Slitheen; the usual.

No sign of Mrs Wormwood.

Luke had been living by himself as of late. He refused to go into a children's home because as he quite rightly said "I'm 16. Old enough to live by myself. Besides, what about all her stuff? Someone would notice Mr. Smith, and then questions would be asked."

Rani gave up trying to get Luke to move in with her across the road after that.

Clyde hadn't been his usual self either, Carla had joked that he'd lost the love of his life, but after the wounded look Clyde had given her she's shut up. Sarah Jane was one of the best 'proper' friends he'd ever had. They were a team. The Team.

And she'd only gone and died on him. That darn Wormwood only went and murdered her, then did a runner.

The trio were traipsing through the graveyard, making their way to the Angel, with their gifts of roses, sunflowers and other tokens of affection when Clyde noticed something.

He put out his hand to stop Luke, and prominently Rani walked into him.

"Ssshh!" Clyde whispered, eyes wide. He pointed to where Sarah's grave was, were there was a woman with black boots and a brown waistcoat. Well, not exactly a woman, she shimmered and glistened in the sunlight very much unlike any human would.

"Maybe it's a Vampire... You know, the Cullen's?" Rani giggled.

Clyde looked at her, unimpressed and annoyed. "That's Sarah's grave! She shouldn't be there!"

"Just as well we're intergalactic guardians then." Said Luke, storming ahead.

As the three neared the grave, the being raised her head, and bit her lip when she saw who it was. "Luke!" She jumped up, and with a fugitive glance at all three teens, disappeared from view.

Silence echoed around the graveyard.

A raven cawed, making the three jump.

"OK. I had to much cheese last night." Clyde took a step forward, then turned to look at the other two, "Did I just see Sarah Jane? Like... as a ghost?" He half laughed.

Rani cupped her hand to her mouth, and stared, her eyes screaming.

Luke took a step back, shaking his head in disbelief.

Clyde drooped, hung his head, and turned to face whatever horror lay behind him.

A woman, floating two feet off the ground, all in purple, eyes a-blazing was before him. "You're on my Sarah's grave young man." She hissed, barely audible, and yet, it seemed to amplify a thousand times in their heads.


End file.
